As temperatures rise throughout China’s summer months, the Yuncheng Salt Lake turns a variety of stunning colours, with the amazing natural phenomenon now captured by satellites in space.

The Yuncheng Salt Lake, also known as the ‘Dead Sea of China’ due its high salt levels, is a popular tourist destination and it’s easy to see why. It seems, however, that its natural bright colors are best observed from above, as shown in this image snapped by Deimos Imaging.

The lake is thought to be some 500 million years old and spans an area of roughly 120 sq km (46 sq miles). The colors are a natural phenomenon caused by tiny micro-organisms called dunaliella salinas, which are triggered by a rise in temperature and light intensity.

Yuncheng Salt Lake is located in the city of Yuncheng in Shanxi Province in northern China, and is the largest in the province. Despite its high salt content, it’s an area rich with plant and animal life.